British media exclaims as Vietnam achieves the biggest rise in FIFA rankings

British media draws attention by naming Vietnam’s national team as a rare phenomenon on the December FIFA ranking after the strongest rise in Southeast Asia.

According to the FIFA rankings released on the evening of December 22, Vietnam’s national team made a remarkable impression in the year’s final update. The “Golden Star Warriors” climbed 3 places to reach 107th in the world, becoming the team with the highest jump worldwide in this ranking period.

This achievement results from a series of positive outcomes recently, especially the victory in the 2027 Asian Cup qualifiers, which earned Vietnam an additional 5.89 points. This was also one of the highest point increases globally in December, attracting international media attention.

In response to Vietnam’s notable progress, the World Soccer Talk outlet gave special focus. The British media wrote: “Vietnam (ranked 107) is one of the few teams to improve significantly in this update.” A brief statement that clearly acknowledges the upward momentum of coach Kim Sang-sik’s squad.

Notably, Vietnam is now only 7 places away from the FIFA top 100 — a milestone long regarded as the “performance ceiling” for Vietnamese football. Approaching the top 100 not only reflects ranking but also indicates stability in the squad, consistent form, and sustainable point accumulation rather than short-term surges.

In Southeast Asia, the landscape is also shifting clearly. Thailand, still the region’s number one, dropped one place to 96th globally, narrowing the gap with Vietnam. Conversely, Malaysia became a negative highlight, falling 5 places to 121st and suffering the largest point loss worldwide in December, with a decline of 22.52 points due to issues related to naturalized player documentation.

Amid intensifying competition in Asian football, Vietnam being recognized by British media as a rare ranking riser on the FIFA chart is seen as a positive signal for the country’s long-term football ambitions on the international stage.